Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Birthday Older Gal!

Every holiday birthday offers advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage of a Valentine birthday seems to be that Older Gal will never have to go through all that anxiety and depression most of woman-kind experiences at some point in life, focusing on her Valentine or lack there-of. In Older Gal's case a special day is more or less expected.

I was just talking to a friend about her father's Christmas day birthday. As a child it was a rotton day for a birthday. But she says her father likes it now because there's always family around that day.

My cousin has a St. Patrick day birthday. If we lived in a more Irish part of the country, he'd be gauranteed his pick of parties. But at least there's always a parade.

It's been busy, busy, busy here. The-Guy has been sick, my mom and dad are visiting. We're in the middle of skipping Yom Limmud (a day of learning).

Plus, we're being held captive to Amish Friendship Bread. Except we might be freed from it's tyrannous clutches, because I forgot to add flower and sugar four days ago.It doesn't look all that evil, right?

The friendship bread is like an old fashioned chain letter. Except, instead of good or bad luck, you end up with food.

And then your kids want more. And then you're stuck, because every day for ten days you have to follow the instructions. Plus, you have to give the starter away to four other people.

It does turn out yummy though, even if the recipe includes a box of Jello pudding, which makes me a little skeptical about how Amish it could really be.

So that's what's been up over here. Sickness and germs and birthdays and diaries and frienship bread and always, always, always the good for nothing cat desperatly trying to awaken the entire city (starting with me and The-Guy) at four in the morning.

Son #1's girlfriend's birthday is 2/13. That was also (according to her best friend on the phone) their 2-week Anniversary. But Son #1 is not allowed to take her OUT, because her dad does not trust boys. In other words, this V-Day was an incredibly stressful combination of finding the perfect gifts for 3 separate events, being very attentive, and hanging out with your newly significant other's family and friends for 2 solid days. Son #1 looks haggard, but apparently he succeeded.

Happy Valentine's Day birthday older gal. As someone with a near Christmas birthday I know how easily a holiday can overtake the REAL business of the day!!!! The friendship bread sounds fascinating though......

Funny Casii! I got the first two loaves made, three out of the four bags given away and only THEN did that last bag die its slow, horrible death.

Thanks Roger!

Thanks People! (on behalf of Older Gal, who I will be sure to invite to comment herself)

Christine - Glad he survived! I was just beginning to get an inkling this year that men go through their own type of hell for Valentine's day. Here I had thought the suffering was exclusively female. I guess it's sort of like Christmas that way - a lot of pressure to do right. I think once The-Guy & I get married & have an anniversary to celebrate, it might possibly be worth giving up on Valentine's day, except as it pertains to older gal's bday. But until such time as we have an anniversary, I reserve the right to be demanding and difficult.

Thanks (again on Older Gal's behalf) Arizaphale! I'd mail you a bag of starter from the friendship bread, but as I mentioned above it joined Casii's in a slow, horrible death.

Hope Older Gal had a fab birthday!I have to admit being a tiny bit scared of Amish Friendship Bread, or at least the starter. Who knows how long it's been around or where it's traveled??? Kinda gives me the willies!

Hey, I thought of you the other day whilst listening to NPR! On Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, there was a segment about Houston where they interviewed the mayor. She talked about the Art Cars and a bunch of other stuff that I HAD READ ABOUT ON YOUR BLOG!!! You might wanna check it out! I'll see if I can find a link...

Kerry - No, it's a sweet dessert, more like a banana bread type thing, but with yeast. It's pretty yummy, but you have to be kind of devoted and also drag bags of starter around with you to work and wherever it is you happen to give them out.

Janet - Oh! I hadn't even considered that! Oh well. We came out fine & the bread was yummy.

Thanks on the link! We actually tried to get tickets to that show, but they were like a kajillion and a half dollars each so we somehow decided not to go.